Just upgraded from Acura MDX to Mercedes GLE. There’s no comparison. The Mercedes is a dream to drive and the interior is 10 times more luxurious. I love it. I go out for drives just Bc it’s so fun and my kids request the same. My only complaint is the safety features - like shaking a bit to let me know I’ve crossed a double yellow line and the early warning parking sensors (which I can probably adjust but haven’t bothered to investigate yet) — I think these are pretty standard features these days. Or maybe k ended up w a package I’d rather not have. Either way, It’s a great car. Test drive it and I can almost guarantee you’ll buy one.

I personally prefer the luxury in the gle.

I have a 15 year old RX that has been very dependable and because it was top of the line 15 years ago, still has a lot of the bells and whistles I would want (like Bluetooth, etc).

I think it depends if you are the kind of person who keeps cars forever (I am, I don’t like change or spending money on cars) or if you are going to get tired of something in 5-10 years

Anonymous wrote:I have driven all three and have to say the Mercedes has been my favorite. Just a stunning, safe, solidly-built vehicle with superior fit and finish. That said, you will pay through the nose for maintenance and repairs. Buy the extended Mercedes warranty and get rid of it when it expires.

I've been paying for MB "maintenance and repairs" since 2012. Yes, the maintenance is more costly than an Acura or Lexus, but it's not *that* much money. If $300-$600 a year will bring you financial hardship, you should not be buying any of these vehicles. The MB's we've owned have been very reliable, knock-on-wood. Relatively inexpensive factory extended warranty is available to get you to 7 years 100k miles. I think it cost me $2k to get it for our C300.

I have driven all three and have to say the Mercedes has been my favorite. Just a stunning, safe, solidly-built vehicle with superior fit and finish. That said, you will pay through the nose for maintenance and repairs. Buy the extended Mercedes warranty and get rid of it when it expires.

You have to decide what's most important to you, OP. Acura will be the cheapest, the best value and the redesign looks pretty ambitious. Lexus will give you peace of mind that it will last forever but an overall "meh" ownership experience. The Mercedes will be the most expensive, least reliable, but most interesting.

All three offer a different mix. I would pick Mercedes, Acura, and Lexus, in that order.

BMW X3

I had an MDX, then Buick Enclave and now downsized to X3, love it. Smooth ride; I have teens who are very comfortable in back seat. I prioritize trunk space, and this class of BMW is bigger there than comparable Mercedes.

I have the Acura RDX - sized down from an MDX. Had a Lexus RX many many years ago. I feel that Acura gives you the most for your money. Dh looked at the Lexus RX (forgot which version) before I got the RDX. It was a lot more expensive and it had a third row which I didn’t need anymore (this was a few years ago she they may have a two row version now). Dh has a Mercedes sedan and MIL and SIL have SUV’s. Great cars but for what I do, I don’t need that expensive of a car. Dh drives out of state a lot for work (at least he did pre-Covid and is starting to again). But I’ve always worked from home so for me the RDX suits my purpose. My MIL is more of a car person than I am and she didn’t like certain aspects of the RDX even though she drives less than I do. But for the price and the features, I really like it.

Lexus - Rx is a good value. Drives very nice. Pretty small, though. The slightly larger one is much more truck-like (Gx). Lx is nice, but very large.

I think MDX is the best value for a luxury mid-sized

Mercedes - nicest, but most expensive.

Ohhh I really like Lexus. So warm and buttery. Reliable. Good price point. I don’t see downsides.

I mean Lexus Rx

Lexus rdx is the way to go

I've been a lifelong Acura owner and currently love my MDX but it's getting up there in miles. I'm looking for another SUV but wondering if it's time to switch to a different brand. I like a spacious backseat but I don't need the third row as my kids all have their own cars now. I do like a large trunk space, backup camera, AWD, and leather seats. I prefer a SUV that drives like a car unlike my son's Toyota 4Runner that most definitely drives like a truck. There are so many models of Lexus and I think if I were to go the Mercedes route, I'd want one from the GLE series.
Has anyone done their own comparisons between Acura, Lexus and Mercedes SUVs? Initial thoughts?